In the U.S. alone, electric utilities have announce plans to construct 30 new plants in coming years. Among these is NRG Energy's application, which was the first application for an entirely new plant in 30 years. Many of the new construction projects will implement sophisticated technologies such as advanced boiling water
reactors (ABWR) and pressurized water reactors (AP-1000). These designs will offer additional improvements in efficiency, safety, and output over current designs.

As the new company grows, Toshiba wants to expand its capabilities to include licensing and engineeering support for technologies to go into new nuclear plants in the future. Toshiba and Westinghouse, a
Toshiba Group company have both been working to promote the ABWR and AP-1000 reactor designs. The new company will add more market and support resources to these efforts.

Toshiba's new company has a workforce of 30 employees. This number is expected to greatly expand, once construction on the various plant proposals in the U.S. begins in full, which is projected to occur around 2011. At this point, Toshiba explains, it will also add engineering support staff at liason offices near the sites of construction.

Toshiba and Westinghouse focus on the development, implementation and marketing of operation
and maintenance (OP&M) technologies, technologies to keep plants running in peak shape. Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corporation will rely chiefly on Westinghouse for these OP&M capabilities in America. The new company will also help network Westinghouse's construction management talent, which has been cultivated during construction projects in Japan. The company will also support older PWR and BWR designs.

Perhaps most exciting the new company will help to promote the 4S reactor design. This design is a small, and extremely simple and safe system, which offers great promise for distributed nuclear power generation. Toshiba also announced that it may use the new company to help participate in the Next-Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project.

Toshiba calls nuclear power, "a
cost-efficient long-term energy source, a powerful tool in the fight
against global warming, and an integral part of a future hydrogen
economy."

Its new line of business will also market nuclear power in Europe, Asia and North America.

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"I want people to see my movies powered by the best energy possible. For them to deny people by focusing on nuclear sucks! They were progressive by having lots of energy sources. No Transformers 2 for me!"--Michael Bay on developments

"As a director, I'm all about people seeing films on the best power grid possible, and I saw and heard firsthand people upset about a corporate decision but today I saw 300 on toshibas new nuclear power system, and it rocks!!! Count me in for Transformers 2" - Michael Bay